1. Teaching & Social Networking

2. Youth Ministry & Technology Study  52 youth pastors  90% in charge of middle school & high school  Average age: 31  Average years in ministry: 8

3. Use of Technology

7. Web 1.0 vs. Web 2.0

8. A New Approach Web 1.0  Static  Not easily updated  Text-based  One-way  Created by experts Web 2.0  Fluid  Multi-media  Interactive  Consumer-producers

9. Web 1.0 vs Web 2.0  My website My website  Traditional newspapers & search engines  A leader-centered Bible study  Powerpoint  Staff-created  Program-centered  Center for Parent/Youth Understanding Center for Parent/Youth Understanding  Flickr, Youtube, Blogs  An interactive Bible study  Videos  Student collaborated  Social interaction/ relationship centered

10. EPIC  Experiential  Participatory  Image-based  Communal John S Miller

11. Websites 42% of youth pastors are dissatisfied with their website 60% are not able to update the website at least once a week

12. Content Analysis

13. Websites According to youth pastors:  What works well:  Forms, information sharing, and calendar  Things they would like to change:  No one uses it  The person who updates it  The overall look (more interactive, more pictures, less ‘80’s, separate from the main site)

14. Websites Examples:  Web 1.0:  GracePoint GracePoint  Web 2.0:  First Baptist Church of Geneva First Baptist Church of Geneva  Huron Hills Huron Hills  1 st Baptist Church of Manistee 1 st Baptist Church of Manistee  Woodcrest Woodcrest

15. Websites What students say… What makes a good website?  Easy to navigate (tabs clearly defined)  Clear contact information (pictures help)  Pictures (not stock photos) What are signs of a bad website?  Spelling errors  No links (not even Facebook)  Over stimulating (flash taking forever to load)  No context (needs a “who are we” statement—not just pictures)  Weird ministry names (no info like “6-8 th grades)  Incorrect contact information (youthpastor@gmail.com)

16. Websites  What do you think?  What do you use your website for?  What works?  Is it worth it?

17. Text Messaging

18.  81% of surveyed youth pastors felt comfortable with the technology  63% regularly initiate texts with students  65% have students who regularly text them  75% feel it is an excellent ministry tool  Most text just a small group of students

19. Text Messaging Good things:  Openness of students  Students ask good questions  Students volunteer more information  Coordinating & advertising  Sense of contact  Prayer requests  Birthdays  Bible passages  Good luck in a athletic event  Any other ideas?

20. Text Messaging  Challenges  Miscommunication  Boundaries  Shallow  Too much stuff!  Students text during school  Advice about texting  Get a text-savvy phone  Talk to parents (make sure student has text plan)  Let youth make 1 st contact  Don’t overdo it  Keep hard conversations f2f

21. Technology Ideas  Facebook  Personal page vs. group page  Photo sharing  Easy access  Learning what is going on with kids  Good conversations  Blogs  Have students & volunteers sign up  Needs to be kept up—2-3 per week

22. Technology Ideas  Hi-tech connections  E-mail works with parents (not students)  Have the chat turned on during work  Use software for mass text messages  Student produced podcasts “Bad visuals are worse than no visuals”  Webstarts.com  animoto.com  Zamzar.com (reformat youtube videos)  Nooma, Youtube videos  Videos made together  Video game parties

23. Technology “Technology can burn and waste valuable time. Keep it simple and use it sparingly. Kids don't need flashiness; they need an adult who models Christ! If they do not have this, all the cool technology is just more noise in a noisy world.”

24. Discussion  What does Ministry 2.0 look like in your group?  What have you found works well?  What frustrations do you have with technology?  What are some of the tensions with using technology in ministry?